518 
richeft and fineft. colonies pofleffed by the 
Europeans in the Weft Indies.. 
It is fituated between the feventeenth 
and twenty-firft degrees. north latitude ; 
and the fixty-ninth, degree, twenty mi- 
nutes, and .feventy-fixth. degree, twenty 
minutes, weft longitude. 
Its length is one hundred and fixty 
leagues, its mean breadth thirty, and its 
circumference three hundred and fixty, 
ae compreheading the bays and in- 
ets. ’ 
Chriftopher Columbus difcovered it in 
1493, on the 6ch-of December, and gave 
it the name of Hifpaniola, or Little Spain. 
_ It was not till the year 1630, that the 
French made fome ([ettlements on the 
northern. coaft of this ifland. In 1698, 
they made others on the fouthern coaft, and 
gradually extended them towards the weft, 
and throughout the whole of what is cal- 
led the French part of St. Domingo. ‘The 
entire poffeffion of the ifland was ceded to, 
them, as already obferved, in 1795; by the 
court of Spain. 
The firt French fettlers in St. Domin- 
g0, in 1630, came from St. Chriftopher’s, 
whence they had been expelled. They 
were adventurers, who, uniting with 
others of the fame defcription, and con- 
fitting of individuals of all nations, fettled 
at firt at the iflaad of Tortuga, whence 
they were alfo driven, and whither they 
returned feveral times, Their fart occu- 
pation was the hunting of cattle, with 
which the ifland was overfpread, fince firtt 
imported by the Spaniards, and to cruize 
upon the navigators of all nations, prin- 
cipally thofe of Spain, of whom they were 
the {courge during forty years. They 
were in fact the Barbary Corfairs of the 
Weft Indies. They were long known by 
the name of Buccaneers and Flibufteers, 
men of a daring and ferocious f{pirit, whofe 
dreadful exploits filled with confernation 
the Weft india [lands and all the Ame- 
rican Seas. Dogeron, fent by France to 
govern the Ifland of St. Domingo, em- 
ployed the influence he had obtained by 
his virtues and talents. in civilizing thefe 
Barbarians, and dire&ting their aétivity 
to a profitable cultivation of the ifland. 
They were the firft who cleared the land, 
and Jaid the foundation of the progreffive 
profperity of that noble colony. 
Dogeron did not live long enough to 
perfect what he had begun; and the colo- 
ny languifhed till 1722, Every fpecies of 
culture had, however, been undertaken ; 
the fugar-cane had been brought from 
Mexico; the cacao-tree had been planted 
by Dogeron. But the commerce of this 
Produce and Trade of St..Dominge.” 
[July 1, 
new colony was fettered by exclufive com 
panies, which, feeking only the means of 
enriching themfelyes, threw languor and 
difcouragement upon the enterprizes of the 
colonifts. 
It was at length in the fore-mentioned . 
year freed from this fervitude ; and fince 
that epoch, the colony has rifen gradually 
to a ftate of profperity unknown in any 
other eftablifhment of that nature. 
Well are the calamities known with 
which the new fyfiems, or, to fpeak more 
truly, the cruel paffions engendered by 
politics, have afiliéted St.Domingo, It is 
now nearly ten years fince this unhappy 
colony has been delivered up to all the 
confufions of anarchy. Matters were at 
length carried to (uch extremity, that pow- 
erful armies were needed to bring back to 
fubordination and labour. two hundred 
thoufand Negroes armed by fury and de- 
{pair. 
But fo powerful is the confcioufnefs of 
the neceflity of order, fo ftrong the natural 
propenfity of mankind to fubordination 
and labour, that, ere long, St. Domingo 
will recoyer, if not ali, at leaft a great pro- 
portion, of its former fplendour; unlefs 
through a fatality that feems to lead aftray 
the French miniftry, ever fince the date of 
the Revolution, the fuperior and fubaltern — 
adminiftrators of that colony fhould confift 
of men, whofe good intentions and zeal 
cannot make uo for their want of thofe - 
talents and abilities that are requifite for 
the government of mankind, and the ad- 
miniltering of the police. Hitherto, how- 
ever, the choice made by the ruling powers 
42) 
formance, to enter into any length of hif- 
feems to be promifing; and Europe, as. ~ 
well as France, hasapplauded the courage, 
firmnefs, moderation, and {pirit of equity, — 
difplayed by General Leclerc throughout — 
his conduét and operations at St. Domin- — 
It not being the purpofe of this per- 
whe 
\ 
torical details concerning perfons and — 
tranfaGtions in this colony, we fhall clofe — 
that fubje€&t with what has already been 
faid, and proceed to what relates to its de-. 
{cription, its culture, its population, and 
commerce, 
Long: will the diftin&tion remain. be- 
tween the French and the Spanifh Part of 
St. Domingo. Firft, on account of the 
difference between them in manners, lan-. 
guage, and habits; fecondly, a like dif 
tance fubfits in their refpeétive cultiva- 
tion, produce, and foil, and in the modes 
and channels of trade; thirdly, the Spa- 
nifh Part is not fo well-known and fre- 
quented by the French as the other. - 
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4 
